Why don't you remember me?
by WD's KiT-TaY
Summary: A one-shot about Charlotte and Ben's first ever meeting before they went back to their own lives and kept on pretending. Hey that rhymes.


**Why don't you remember me?**

**Characters, places and dates may be totally screwed up but please ignore that for now. Hahahaha it's been too long bitch. Never wrote a Lost fic before but... hmm. Disclaimer: I don't own Lost yeah yeah**

**Dedicated to my lost buddy who is Annie haha. But she don't like Ben. He's mine, kit-tay... -my cat walks into the room- **

**I'm sorry, the fic isn't funny. It's drags on a bit but knowing Annie, the ending will be pretty hilarious.**

**--**

Charlotte pulled out her water bottle from her hefty backpack and gently eased it into the trickling little creak they'd stumbled across. She splashed her face from the cool springs and stared back at her reflection, her flaking façade that was getting harder and harder to put on. She was growing more wary and tired of it day after day. Back home she used to live like royalty compared to this endless stalk on the Island, this unconvincing assurance she had to keep talking her captors into and this obsessive need to keep calm at gun-point 24/7.

Daniel kneeled down next to her and filled up his water bottle as well. "How you holding up?" he whispered under his breath. Charlotte glanced at him from the corner of her eye and sighed uneasily. She was just about to stand up when Daniel grabbed her dripping wet hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. He looked at her with his beady loving eyes and smiled. "It'll be okay."

"Alright, break's over," Kate whispered menacingly and held the gun to the back of Daniel's head. "You've got your water now so move." Daniel let go of Charlotte, strapped on his backpack and slowly stood up with his hands surrendered in the air and his face held high. "And you, Lewis." Kate moved the gun to Charlotte and she didn't let her see Jack treat Miles with hostility. But everyone there heard Mile's chin almost dislocate and his body fall into the creak.

"Let's keep moving. It's just a few more hours away; we'll be there before sunset." Locke instructed as leader of the group. He turned around into the late afternoon sunglow and he narrowed his eyes, deciding to overlook Mile's groans and pleas for mercy with Jack covering him.

Jack was really upset that day. Nobody really knew why anymore but it was beginning to get more obvious as he traded his tears for violence. "_What is your problem?_" Miles stopped and yelled at Jack, spraying blood on his face. Jack's eyes opened with an unfamiliar dark rage and he lunged at Miles, throwing him to the ground and subjecting him to a series of full-packed blows.

"Hey! Leave him alone!" Lepedis yelled and bolted forward to stop Jack from beating a dear friend to death. Kate hesitated while she held her gun at everyone who wanted to help them but then she noticed the tears leaking from Jack's face. She rushed over screaming Jack's name and tried to rip him off Miles but he elbowed her in the arm and her gun went flying into the bushes nearby.

"Jack, get off him!" Locke came to him and they finally had Jack's throbbing fists away. Everyone held him down as Jack started to openly cry and go another round on Miles. "What would this ever do to make the circumstances improve, Jack? Get a hold of yourself," he told him sternly.

"YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO TAKE US OFF THIS ISLAND!" he screamed. Miles carefully pushed himself up, his face absolutely dazed and drenched with blood and sweat. He bent to the side of him and spat out a tooth or two in pain. He turned back and sat up, his back giving a nasty crunch and he gazed at Jack with silent madness.

"You don't deserve to leave. You know what… All of you survivors from flight815 will die on the Island and burn in hell-"

"Shut the fuck up, Miles," Frank cut in before he would touch a certain sensitive nerve once again. Kate was the only one that was still cradling Jack now and he cried into her shirt with shame. His blooded hands were shaking aggressively in front of his face to hide himself from their stares.

"Right. Now we should-" suddenly the click of a firm steady gun echoed in Locke's ear. He didn't move a muscle and looked to the left of him where he saw Daniel holding him at gunpoint with a nervous expression. Locke smiled mockingly. "… What you got there, son?"

"I-I don't want any trouble," he said.

"Yeah, it sure looks that why," Kate said sarcastically. "You're not gonna kill him. He's the only one that will give you a chance."

"I don't want anyone to be hurt anymore. My crew and I are going to go on alone… without you antagonistic people. We don't need you and it's clearly a burden keeping us around." He glanced at Jack who watched him anxiously.

"Now if you excuse us. We've got another mission to attend to. And I am 100 not fooling around when I say… don't even think about following us. Or I may have to break my promise…" He paused and no one disagreed with him.

"…Okay," Locke said calmly and backed off. "You're free to go."

"Okay... Good."

Miles quickly got himself up and limped over to Daniel who was reluctantly joined by Lepedis and Charlotte. They backed away slowly and when they realised they weren't going to stop them, they disappeared into the creaking unpredictable forests. Lepedis walked past, taking head of the group and snatched the gun off Daniel. "Trust you with a gun, boy, and we could have all been dead. Jesus Christ…"

Daniel turned around and waited for Charlotte to catch up with her feet dragging behind in the dirt and her sights set in space. "Are you okay? Charlotte?" She noticed him next to her and smiled reassuringly with fault.

"Yeah. I'm just a little shaken from what happened back there." As Miles dawdled past she grabbed him by the arm and held him. "Why don't you and Frank go ahead and see if it's close. I should check out Miles' wounds immediately."

"Are you sure? Shouldn't we stay with you two?"

"We'll catch up," she said and her eyes smiled at him though it was all a part of her façade. She could never fall for someone like Daniel. She was at a loss for words when she wondered why he's fallen for her. He nodded as he turned around and walked away. When he was almost out of sight, she sighed and sat down on the earth, opening up her backpack and getting out the first aid kit. Miles joined her and watched her frustration grow. "And just what are you staring at?"

"… He likes you, y'know."

"Who does?" she asked, totally uninterested.

"Frank." She looked up at him in astonishment and he rolled his eyes. "Who do you think I mean? Faraday."

"Is that so," she whispered and dabbed his face lightly with cotton balls. "And how do you figure that?"

"C'mon, Charlotte. You can just look into his swimming eyes and tell they're obviously looking for you."

"Daniel and I are colleagues and nothing more. Even calling him a friend would be pushing it." Miles stopped her hand midair and closely inspected her face and how frightened it was behind her mask.

"What are you still doing here? Why do you keep on insist to pretend when it hurts you so much?" she said nothing. "Get out of here. Find what you're looking for. Don't worry about the others; I'll say you drifted off… as long as you get back to us. I'll see you around." He grinned at her and stood up throwing the bag over his shoulder. Miles began to walk away leaving Charlotte still stunned and packing away the medicines. Just then as she stood up and turned into the other direction, she realised how lucky she was to have someone who knows the actual _her _inside like Miles. Her lost life.

"And Charlotte-" Miles called and she turned around. He grinned his cheesy Asian smile and yelled, "god speed!" he laughed and turned around fussing himself into a small jog. Charlotte narrowed her eyes and walked away fiercely.

"I told you… not to ever call me that," she whispered hotly, dropping her English accent for her true American one now that she was alone for once.

--

She came to a climaxing point in her aggravation when she believed she was running around in circles again and again. She looked up into the deep blue skies and saw she had only about another half hour before the golden sun would descend underground and she would be cast into darkness. There was no way she was ever going to catch up with Daniel, Miles and Frank now. But they wouldn't complete the operation without her. They wouldn't leave her behind. Daniel loved her but it was a pity she would never feel the same about him.

Charlotte fell into a small patchy grass cleaning and lay in the reeds, trying to hide herself from the bitter cold. After all this time she wasted, after all the lengths she pushed herself to get to, she still couldn't find what she was looking for. But she was no quitter. All she needed was an encouraging train of thought and some food before she would continue her journey again.

Not too long later, she came across a small hut deep in the heart of the valley. Her own heart beat fast in excitement as she approached and she heard small voices from inside the rundown wooden shack. She couldn't comprehend what the two male voices were saying but they rose and faded like a battle. Finally they came to an agreement and it sounded like they were about to leave. Charlotte waited curiously a few yards away behind her disguise deep green nature.

But only one man stepped outside with his head bowed in a slight disappointment. As he left the shack he murmured to himself sorrowfully and Charlotte lingered until she could get a better look at him. When he passed her, she knew exactly who he was. Just what she was looking for. The spitting image…

She dropped her bag and quietly stepped out into the open world behind him. She walked slow and unsurely to him but he didn't notice her. The very thought of him in itself was opening up old wounds.

"Ben…" she whispered like an angel's cry and suddenly he stopped in his tracks. He turned around and met her eye's gaze and locked on. If she wasn't so far away, then she might've noticed just how vulnerable he was for a second when he saw her immaculate face. But he regained his composure, put on his own act and walked forward cautiously like how someone normal would go about strangers.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" he asked politely in his kind voice. Charlotte approached with awe and felt familiar butterflies swell up in her stomach. She brushed her long red curls away from her face and smiled at him, trying to get a closer view still.

"Are you… Benjamin Linus?" He paused and his smile went a tone darker.

"I guess that all depends on who's looking for him." Charlotte exhaled and let out a small laugh. She ran to him until she was so close she could wrap her arms around him. Charlotte reached out to touch his face but he stepped back in surprise and gazed at her awkwardly. He was just like how she always imagined and his personality hadn't changed a bit.

"Ben! It is you!" she cried so relieved to speak in her American voice again. "I never thought I would see you again… but I had to come back. I'm sorry I ever left all those years ago." It was evident by Ben's worried face that he hadn't a clue what she was talking about. She took his cold hands in hers and held them to her chest in loving memory.

"Ahh, what are you doing?" he cried nervously and tried to take his hands back. "You must have me confused with someone else, let me go please." She frowned in confusion and looked into his wide sparkling pools of sky blue someone with his character would just call eyes. He was starting to shake with worry now and she let him go.

"Ben…? Don't tell me you don't remember me… _me?_"

"I-I don't believe I've ever had the pleasure..." She stared at him in disbelief. How could he forget her? After almost 20 years, you could forget quite a few friendly faces but the one he would at least have remembered was _her._ She scoffed like it was joke but she knew him too well enough to know he wasn't the type that would ever be anything but serious.

"Annie… Annie Godspeed? I was your first friend on the Island… the first one that offered you a chocolate bar, the first one that helped you hide when the hostiles came, your first love and… your childhood sweetheart. _Annie._" She was exhausted trying to get him to remember but he kept on looking at her sideways. Like she was from another alien world. "Why don't you remember me…?"

"I never knew anyone called Annie in my entire life," he admitted foolishly. Charlotte groaned and walked in little circles with tears dripping down her face. Ben only watched her sympathetically but then he checked his watch and realised he must be on his way. He glanced at the hut and caught a glimpse of the man he was talking with stand in the shadows watching them both. "I'm… I'm sorry. I should really be going now… I'm not who you're looking for… Well, I hope you find him."

He turned around but he jerked when she grabbed his arm exasperated. "You _must _remember me! Ben, I loved you! _I loved you!_" she tried to grab him but Ben cried and tried to stop her, stumbling backwards and tripping over himself.

"Now, please, I've already told you I don't know Annie! Please leave me alone, you're starting to scare me!" he talked so fast when he was frightened just like he did when he was a kid. But despite what Ben was telling her, she refused to let him go. She walked around in front of him and blocked his path, having calmed down a little now.

"I get it... you still haven't forgiven me, have you? Since that day when I left… Don't you remember Ben, _I had to! _But this isn't fair, I've learnt my lesson… please stop pretending, Ben. How many times must I say it… I AM SORRY. I love you, Ben… that's why I came back. To be with you and Alex so we can have a family… just like you always promised me." Ben continued to stare at her in pity and it looked like something was stirring inside of him. Charlotte was hopeful for his memory to suddenly resurface to him but he looked into her beautiful face and shook his head slowly.

"Ben… tell me you remember me… just tell me you remember Annie."

He bit his tongue and although he knew it would cause her great pain to hear this, he had to give her the truth. "I don't know you... Sorry. Excuse me," he said quietly and walked past her on his way out of the jungle, leaving her alone and defenceless in the dark night. She choked on her tears and held her face in her hands for a few seconds of uncontrollable sobbing before she called to him.

"WAIT!" she yelled and caught up to him, trying to hide her utter torment. He had the all too recognizable expression that was practically typical of his that clearly told a person when it was time for them to leave him alone. But Charlotte disobeyed him just for one last time…

"Here," she said hoarsely through her tears and out of her bag, she gave him a wooden doll that was hand carved. Ben took it curiously as it was of a boy with wire-rimmed glasses, dark brown hair and formal clothing. It looked just like him.

He looked at her with a bit of amazement. "You made this yourself?" he asked impressed and she nodded with a small reminiscing smile. "What do you want me to do with it?"

"I want you to have it, Ben. I gave you the other one that was me when we were young. I hope… one day you'll remember them… So now we'll never have to be apart." And with that last sentence, she retrieved her bag and fled the forest in search of her team. Now her own mission was complete.

Ben watched her depart until she was out of sight before he looked at the miniature figure of him again. He looked around at the hut to make sure his boss wasn't watching and he opened up his green bag. Under all his files, statistics and survival gears, he brought out the small doll of Annie he'd cherished from all those years ago. He put it beside the doll of him and his eyes began to fog with tears.

"I'm sorry, Annie," he sniffed and put them inside his bag. Then he was on his way home.

--

**Aww now wasn't that sweet... hahaha Annie your a sucker and even BEN rejected you lol. hehe just kidding.**


End file.
